Improvement in production of wooden bottle-stoppers and bungs



UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. HOWIG, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TOHIMSELF. FRANKB. HP WING, AND RANDOLPH F. RADEBAUGH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRODUCTION OF WOODEN BOTTLE-STOPPERS AND BUNGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,220, dated November20, 1877; application filed July 23, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. HOWIG, of the city of San Francisco, countyof San Francisco, and State of California, have inventeda new andImproved Process of Manufacturing Wooden Bottle-Stoppers and Bungs; anddo hereby declare that the following is afull and complete descriptionof the process of manufacture.

The wood is subjected to chemical action, and the following are theseveral steps of the I process: 4

have become thoroughly saturated with the fluid, when they are removed.By this means they are rendered compressible, with slight force, andelastic. a

Third, they are then'subjected to the action of boiling water or steamto remove the contained potash.

Fourth, they are then immersed in glycer-. ine and water, of equalparts, or one part of the former to two of the latter, or glycerine andmilk in these proportions, heated nearly or about to the boiling-point,and there allowed to remain until thoroughly permeated bythe mixture,the time varying according to the size of the stopper or bung.

Fifth, when removed from this mixture, the

ducts of the wood being well filled therewith,

the stoppers or bungs are subjected to a moderate degree of heat, inorder to expel the watery portion of the mixture from them.

Sixth, the stoppers or bungs are then immersedin either bees-waxorparafline, rendered fluid by heat, for from one to two hours or more.

Seventh, the stoppers or bungs are then put into a drum with clean sand,and shaken, so as to remove from their surface the adhering wax orparaffine.

After these various steps are gone through with, there results a productwhich answers all the requirements of a bottle-stopper or bung, and maybe produced at much lesscost than the ordinary stoppers of bark. Theyare stronger and of better appearance than the bark stoppers, andmoreelastic and impervious than" the ordinary stopper or bungs.

I am aware that the several chemicals above specified have beenheretofore used separately in the treatment of wood; but I am not awarethat they have been used in combination for rendering it elastic andimpervious, which is the object of my invention.

In this my process of manufacturing bottlestoppers and bungs, I claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A new process for treatingwood for making elastic bottle-stoppers and bungs, consisting inremoving the resinous and gummy matters by treatment with strongalkaline solutions, and then subjecting it to steam or hot water, andsubsequent treatment with glycerinc and paraffine or wax, or theirequivalents, substantially as set forth.

2. Elastic wooden bottle-stoppers or bungs impervious to liquids andgases, prepared substantially in the manner and for the purpose setforth.

FRANK A. HOWIG.

Witnesses:

R. F. BADEBAUGH, WM. H. MEGGINS.

